Rep. Chris May: Why I supported expanding school safety grants
Students, teachers and staff need to feel safe when school is in session. That's why I supported the continued funding and expansion of the state's Secured School Safety Grant Program.
The program provides state grants to local school districts to address security needs, including hiring resource officers, buying equipment and enhancing physical security.
A total of 605 projects for 474 schools recently received nearly $30 million in matching state grants to increase safety measures, including three Lawrence County schools. Mitchell Community Schools received $42,000, North Lawrence Community Schools received $100,000 and Springville Community Academy received $35,000. In Orange County, Orleans Community Schools received $100,000, Paoli Community School Corp. received $47,582 and Springs Valley Community School Corp. received $50,000.
Thanks to additional funding from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, all project requests for this round of Secured School Safety Grants were approved. This marks the fifth-straight year of record investments in school safety.
Additionally, I supported a new law that significantly expands what projects are eligible for these grants, like digitally mapping school floor plans to help first responders, multi-disciplinary threat assessments and technology that can detect fire, chemical, and audible and visual threats.
Under the new law, all 92 Hoosier counties will establish a County School Safety Commission, which includes local government officials, to help coordinate efforts and make policy recommendations for enhanced safety measures. Each public school will also create a Safe School Committee to develop and implement a safety plan in coordination with their safety specialist and local emergency responders.
Since launching in 2013 through legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly, Hoosier schools have received a total of nearly $163 million in matching grants through the Secured School Fund. More information is available on IDHS' website and through the Indiana School Safety Hub. As your state representative, I will continue supporting efforts to keep our schools safe so that teachers and students can focus on what matters.
State Rep. Chris May (R-Bedford) represents House District 65, which includes all of Lawrence County, and portions of Jackson, Orange and Washington counties.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Rep. Chris May: Why I supported expanding school safety grants
